Softball
ROCCI
PIGNOLI RETIRES AS TEMPLE’S SOFTBALL COACH
6/2/2005
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PHILADELPHIA - Rocci Pignoli, who guided the Temple University
softball team to its only NCAA Tournament appearance, retired officially as the
program’s head coach effective June 30, 2005. Pignoli, and his wife of 38
years, Cheryl, are planning to move to The Villages, Florida.
"Temple gave me a
great opportunity," said Pignoli, who retires as the second all-time
winningest softball coach (175 wins) in school history. "My time at Temple
has been a positive for me. The administration has always supported the program
and if there is anything I can do for Temple in the future I will be
there."
The 2004 Atlantic 10
Coach of the Year, Pignoli compiled a 175-208-1 record over his eight years at
the Owls’ helm and a more impressive 75-53 mark in conference play. Five of his
eight teams advanced to the four-team A-10 Tournament with his 2004 team
capturing the A-10 Championship and earning a NCAA Tournament bid. That 2004
squad boasted a 30-18 record and placed second in the conference regular season
standings with a 9-3 league mark. It was the fourth straight second place
regular finish for the Temple softball team.
"Rocci has made
Temple softball one of the top programs in the Atlantic 10 Conference as well
as the Mid-Atlantic Region," stated Director of Athletics Bill Bradshaw.
"He will be missed not only for his contributions in terms of games won,
but in terms of the lives of the student athletes he has touched."
Pignoli, who served as
an assistant coach from 1995 through 1997 prior to taking over the program at
the start of the 1998 season, has coached five all-conference performers during
his tenure, including 2004 Atlantic 10 Pitcher of the Year Kim Watkins and 2002
A-10 Rookie of the Year Aida Esquer. He also has had four All-Region performers
with current assistant coach Bari Lynn Pflueger earning the honor three times.
Nine of his players have earned A-10 All-Tournament honors with Richelle
Villescas garnering Tournament MVP honors in 2004. Additionally four Temple
softball players earned academic all-conference honors during his tenure with
Alexis Gary being named an Academic All-America in 2002.
Prior to his arrival at Temple, the 59-year-old Pignoli had a 26-year association with softball at the high school and league levels. He was the Nor-Gwyn 18-and-under girls’ Amateur Softball Association’s travel team head coach and manager. He was the head coach at Conestoga High School from 1993–94, where he compiled a 44-5 record. His Conestoga team won the Central League Championship in back-to-back seasons and advanced to the District I semifinal game in 1993. In 1994, the team was undefeated and finished as district runner-up and advanced to the state tournament.